River Trips

Packrafters boating the "park run" through Zion

All watercraft use in the park requires a wilderness permit. For boating below the Temple of Sinawava, these permits are free and can be obtained at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center the day of your trip. For boating the Narrows, standard permit fees apply. To find out when the Wilderness Desk is open, read about our operating hours.

Permits to float the Virgin River are issued when the river is flowing in excess of 150 cubic feet per second. The US Geological Survey measures Virgin River flow rates. Boatable flows do not occur every year. When they do, it is usually only for a brief time when the spring snowmelt is occuring. This is usually sometime between April and June.

Watercraft must be specifically designed for whitewater use. Operators must be equipped with approved personal flotation devices.

Innertubes are not permitted at any time on any watercourse within the park. The Virgin River is the only river in the park where boating is allowed.

Boating "The Park Run" - Temple of Sinawava to Court of the Patriarchs

Kayaking from the Temple of Sinawava to the Court of the Patriarchs is another common float trip. Whitewater kayaks and PFD's are required. Rapids for this stretch of the river usually fall in the class II-III range when flows are high enough for boating, though it can be more difficult at higher flows. Expect portages, strainers, and be prepared to swim.

Below the Court of the Patriarchs there are multiple low head dams and a stretch of river that is often class V whitewater at boatable flows. Scouting the exit at Court of the Patriarchs is important.

Boating The Narrows - Chamberlains Ranch to Temple of Sinawava

Kayak trips through The Narrows portion of the Virgin River should only be attempted by expert paddlers who are prepared to survive without assistance for multiple days. While the river is usually class III or IV, flows are inconsistent and paddlers should be prepared for class V whitewater. Permits for kayaking through The Narrows will not be issued on the day of the trip and must be obtained the day before. An early start to this trip is needed. Permits for kayaking through the Narrows will only be issued if the flow of the Virgin River has stayed above 150 cubic feet per second for 24 consecutive hours. Group size limit for boating the Narrows is 6 people.

The Narrows is a remote, wilderness kayak trip. If anything goes wrong, help is a long way away. Emergency overnight gear, extra paddles, helmets, and wetsuits or drysuits are strongly encouraged for this trip. Expect difficult portages, tricky strainers, and be prepared to swim. PFDs and kayaks designed for whitewater use are required for this trip.

Most years the river above the Deep Creek confluence does not have enough water to float. Paddlers should be prepared to hike with all their gear for about 8 miles before putting into the river at the Deep Creek confluence.